Gasp of the Ghoulish Guinea Pig (5 page)

CHAPTER EIGHT

The dentist’s waiting room was large and airy with huge squishy sofas. Joe recognized a few kids from school waiting with their parents. Toby and a girl from his class were peering at a cabinet full of toothbrushes for sale.

“I want that one!” Toby said, pointing to a green brush with a monster’s head on the end. “Or the troll one. It’s really cool!”

“Maybe afterwards,” said Mum, wiping her nose with a tissue. Her allergies were bothering her again, thanks to Flash’s fur. She blew her
nose noisily. “It’s us next!”

At that moment the dental nurse appeared. “Joe and Toby Edmunds. Follow me.”

Joe slipped off his coat with Flash inside the pocket. “Wait here!” he whispered, laying it on the back of the sofa next to Toby’s fleece.

Flash gave an impatient snort.

The nurse led them into the consulting room.

“Who’s going first?” asked Mr Ridge, the dentist.

“Joe!” squeaked Toby, who’d spotted the dentist’s shiny instruments lined up on a stand next to the big black chair. “Can I go for a wee?”

Mum sighed. “Can’t you wait?”

Toby made a face. “I’m desperate!”

“Come on then.” Mum took his hand. “I’ll show you where it is.”

Joe climbed into the chair.

“If you could just put these glasses on, then
sit back,” said the nurse.

Joe blinked under the bright lights.

“Open wide,” said Mr Ridge.

As he began working through Joe’s teeth, tapping, prodding and checking each in turn, Joe heard a noise by the door. It was the sound of small scratchy footsteps.

“Joe?” squeaked Flash. “JOE! What’s that man doing to you? Is he the vet?”

Joe groaned. He was helpless – he couldn’t move, he couldn’t speak, there was no way he could tell Flash what was happening. He wriggled anxiously.

Mr Ridge stopped for a moment. “Everything OK, Joe? Does it hurt there?”

Joe shook his head.

“What’s he doing?” squeaked Flash.

Joe gripped the chair with frustration. Why hadn’t Flash stayed in the waiting room!

“Is he hurting you?” Flash squealed.

Joe turned his head slightly, trying to catch a glimpse of Flash and show him he was fine.

“It’s OK, Joe,” soothed the dentist. “We’re nearly finished. Nothing to worry about…”

“Joe? Joe? Speak to me!” Flash was jumping up and down, flowery bubbles erupting from his nose.

At that moment, Mum and Toby came back. Mum let out a sudden sneeze!

Joe jumped and Mr Ridge stepped back, bumping into the stand holding his equipment.

It wobbled and then…

“Look out!” called the nurse, as the instruments clattered down to the floor.

“Oops!” giggled Toby. “Does that mean I miss my turn?”

“I’m so, so sorry,” Mum kept saying as she made their next appointment.

The receptionist smiled patiently. “It wasn’t your fault, Mrs Edmunds.”

Mum blew her nose. “My allergies have been terrible lately!”

Joe felt his face turn red. He shoved Flash even deeper into his coat pocket.

“Hey!” the guinea pig squeaked. “I can’t breathe!”

You don’t need to!
thought Joe.
You’re already dead!

“Look!” Toby nudged Joe. “It’s Spiker!”

Joe glanced up. It
was
Spiker.

“All right, Joe!” Spiker said.

“What are you doing here?” Joe asked.

“Same as you!” Spiker grinned.

“I’ll just tell them we’re here,” Mrs Piker said. “Hello again, Joe. We seem to be seeing rather a lot of you!” She smiled and headed to the reception desk.

Toby had spotted the toothbrushes again. “Mum! Can I have the troll one?”

“Any sign of Thor?” Joe whispered to Spiker.

Spiker glanced over at Toby. “Nah,” he muttered.

“There’s still time,” Joe said hopefully.

Spiker nodded. “He’ll be starving by now!”

“What?” Flash poked his head out of Joe’s pocket. “Did you hear that?” he squeaked. “The snake’s starving and I know what he’ll want for dinner – fresh guinea pig, that’s what!”

“I’m going to a party today,” said Toby, coming over to Joe and Spiker.

“Great!” said Spiker.

“There’s going to be loads of awesome food. Pizza, sausages, hot dogs… I love hot dogs!”

Joe was just about to tell Toby to put a sock in it when a horrible thought wriggled into his brain. What if Thor was attracted to the party food instead of his snake grub? Did snakes eat sausages?

“It’s at George’s house,” went on Toby. “Next door to you! And there’s going to be loads of kids and games and prizes. And Doctor Franken-Bubble!”

“What?” Spiker was listening now. “George is having a party? A big one?”

Toby nodded. “Do you want to go?”

“No, thanks!” Spiker said. Then he turned to Joe and dropped his voice to a whisper, so only Joe could hear. “If Thor is in the Crawfords’ house, he’ll be terrified of the noise. Snakes get stressed!”

“What?” Joe looked at Spiker.

“Snakes are sensitive creatures!” Spiker hissed.

“Ha!” snorted Flash. “Sensitive creatures – as if! More like guinea-pig gobbling slithery slime balls!”

“And we’re gonna play pass-the-parcel and have a treasure hunt,” Toby added.

Spiker’s eyes narrowed. “Little kids are terrible round snakes.” He scowled at Toby. “They’re too rough and noisy!”

Joe hadn’t really thought about the snake’s
feelings in all this. After all, it was a pet, too. “We’ve got to find Thor!” he said quietly.

“How?” Spiker demanded.

“I’ll go to the party,” said Joe.

“Oh, what a dreadful thing to have happened…”

Mum was on the phone to Mrs Crawford. She was asking if it would be all right for Joe to go to the party. When he’d told her he’d changed his mind, she’d nearly crashed the car on to the pavement! He’d said that he would actually like to see the bubble man.

“Oh, yes,” Mum was saying to Mrs Crawford. “I can imagine Erin and George must have been devastated.”

“What is it?” Toby looked at Joe across the lunch table.

Joe shrugged.

“Yes,” Mum went on. “He was so cute.
That lovely squeaking noise he made… Such a shame you’ve lost him.”

Joe gulped. It sounded like another guinea pig had died!

“Oh dear,” Mum added, nodding. She was quiet for a while, then after a few moments, she said, “Thanks so much, the boys can’t wait!”

Mum ended the phone call and looked at Joe and Toby with a glum expression on her face. “I’m really sorry, boys, but I’m afraid I’ve got some sad news.”

“What?” Toby looked terrified. “The party’s not cancelled, is it?”

“No, Carol’s looking forward to seeing you both this afternoon. But I’m afraid one of Erin and George’s guinea pigs has died.”

“NO!” squealed Flash, who was snuffling about under the table next to Joe’s feet. “The snake’s got them!”

Joe felt his throat go tight. He’d failed in
his mission. One of the guinea pigs had been gobbled up!

“Which one?” asked Toby, his voice a bit quivery.

“Flash!” said Mum. “I’m really sorry.”

“Who? What? Me?” From under the table, Flash gave a shocked squeak.

Of
course!
Joe sighed with relief. Mrs Crawford was telling Mum about Flash’s tragic end in the washing machine. Joe had forgotten that no one else knew what had happened to Flash after they’d left the Crawfords’ house.